Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-06-29
MIR. AND MRS. BOWSER

MR.. AND MRS. B0WSER
Four weeks ago Mr.. Bowser began to be-
have IN a strange manner. I noticed him
looking at the outside of the house from the
front and back, accompanied by strange
men, and from my open window heard
them talking about ''modern colors,"
.meadow green" and other mysterious
things. 1t was not until I found board
in the back yard with half dozen eolors
of fresh paint ON it that I suspected any
thing. Then asked Mr.. Bowser.
s'You can't be thinking of having any
painting done around here this spring."
81 think the cornice ought to be touched
up little" =.
sBut we had everything painted year
ago, and you said it would stand for ten
years!'
'sIf 1 said SO it will, but the style of color
has changed this year, and guess I'll have
a man for two or three days."
Sand you'll have us all in muss for the
next month. Mr.. Bowser, can't you let
this house alone for day or two?"
He gave me look Of deepest reproach
and turned away. I had begun to feel
sorry for my expression when wagon load
ofpoles drove into the alley. 1t had not yet
unloaded when another wagon loaded with
paint bedaubed ladders drove up. Then
came dray on which there were kegs and
buckets and cans, and brushes, and l was
compelled to realize that Mr.. Bowser was
going to paint. The cook had also seen
the outfit, and she presently came in to me
and asked:
care you going to have the painters
around here!'
''Yes, Hannah, Mr.. Bowser proposes to
touch up the cornice little"
"And he may touch up an intelligence
office while he is about it, for I won't stay
We've been papering, cleaning, putting
down carpets, sodding the back yard, Oiling
the wood work and doing something OF
other for the last six months, and L On tired
out. 1t is now thirty-one seconds to {
O'Clock At sharp leave the housel'
She was as good as her word, and when
told Mr.. Bowser of her going. and related
the cause, he Indignantly replied:
"Now Pll paint the barn and fence te
boot-see if 1 don't. I'll show that girl that
she can't run this family while our name
continues to be Bowser."
Next morning the painters went to work
That is they didn't exactly go to work
They came and sat around in the barn and
smoked. and some of 'em feebly stirred
away at the paint-pots, and some more OF
'em looked at the house and inquired Of
each other when Mr.. Bowssr got out of the
iunatic asylum. Next day the force Of
painters was increased by three, and they
OF two ladders up, pounded some putty
into three Or four nail holes and stirred up
seven or eight colois of paint. Along to-
wards supper time one of the crowd toiled
up one of the ladders in weary, despond
emit way, jabbed at one of the brackets with
brushful Of paint, and the others stood
off to examine the effect and give theil
criticisms. 1t seemed to be very delicate
operation. Some of them kept walking
backwards to get better squint until they
walked out of sight and others had to sill
down on the grass and light their pipes and
rest their eyes by looking at the hired CIR
next door.
On the third day Mr.. Bowser remained
at home, and the men dug holes all around
the house to set their poles, got up a scat
fold to work ON and almost finished paint
ing one bracket. They might have wholly
finished it if they bad agreed on coloIs
Some of 'em wanted the bracket of ,llt
color, with the background dull drab. Az
Others stuck for something more lively o
more aesthetic. Mr.. Bowser said he woult
consult the old masters, and seven drops OF
rain descended from the heavens Just il
time to let the men off at o'clock. Whe,
they had gone l found seven window
smeared with paint, pane of glass broker
and the knobs of six doors touched mp il
the latest Paris style,
The painters are with us yet. Not thos
painters, but some others. The first gan.
lasted two days. Then Mr. Bowser sudden
ly asked the man who seemed to be thu
foreman-at least he loafed away the mos
time-what they were doing to earn thei
money?
"This isn't a job to be rushed' calml,
replied the man. eff we should get one
these seventeen delicate colors in place o
another your house would be ruined"
Mr.. Bowser reduced the delicate color
to fourteen, and hired new gang. In The
course of week this new lot managed t(
paint forty-eight big daubs on the pencillet
brick work, break three windows, daul
over three oiled doors aud ruin half GU,
clothes, and Mr.. Bowser advised them to
turn to landscape work. The third gang i.
still with us All the scaffolding has finqi
]y been put in place, and the ladders leaned
up against the house, and all the neighbar
hood covered with paint pots and brushes
When the brackets had been finished Mr.
oOWSoE CUACluueu GudG tilH Wi01OW caSi3g
ought to be touched up to correspond -
Then it was the hoods and porches and
steps. Next week il will be the fences and
the barn. Seven different ladies havs
walked up the freshly painted front steps
to call on me, but walked down again with.
out ringing the bell. Twenty-odd tranps
have walked the length of the freshly paint
ed veranda to ask fer bite to eat, hat
went off hungry and tired. Three Of my
dresses are ruined, our washines are paint
spotted, and the sidewalks, fences aud
shade trees in cur neighborhood have baen
spattered and speckled until strangers stop
and gaze in astonishment I was intend
ing to say to Mr. Bowser last night that
wouldn't stand it another day, but before |
had chance to he went out for smoke.
In his Observation-Disclosures he walked up the
front steps aud sat down to muse in the
cleaning. | think he unused for half an
hour, at the end of which time he came
rushing in. He was covered with green
and lead color and Queen Anne and pur,.le
paints, and as be turned himself around for
me to see he waved his arms and shouted:
Woman, don't Taught at me! You
dragged me into this, and if I don't get
even with you my name isn't Bowser!''--
Detroit Free Press.
VEGETABLE SoUP.-Four onions. three
turnips, four carrots, one small head of
cabbage, one pint of butter beans and a